FAQs

Becoming a TA

Who can become a TA?

An undergraduate teaching assistant must be a Georgia Tech degree-seeking student enrolled in six hours or more of credit-bearing coursework taken in residence on the Atlanta campus during the semester they TA. CS 4903-UTA (a three-hour course) can be used to reach that six-hour minimum. You must live in the USA. Even if a course is remote, you must live in the USA.

More information on TA requirements can be found here.

How do I become a TA?

We take applications each semester for TAs for the following semester. The deadline usually falls in the middle of the semester, so talk to your professors and head TAs about when to apply. The application can be found here.

If you are selected as a TA, you will be sent an offer letter from Erika Burley with a link to complete an acceptance form. You will need to complete your acceptance form within the specified timeframe to move forward with hiring – note that every single TA must complete the acceptance form each semester, even if they have verbally accepted their offer or if they have been a TA before.

What should I do if my faculty supervisor or head TA has not contacted me yet?

Reach out to them so you can start planning.

What factors will I be evaluated on as a TA? How can I improve my performance?

You are evaluated on grading, preparedness for meetings and office hours, as well as ethical treatment of all. Attendance, timeliness, and creating something for the course (review guide, tutorial, worksheet, course assignment, etc.) are ways to receive good marks on your performance.

First-time TAs will also be evaluated on attendance of TA training workshops.

A list of TA expectations can be found here.

Onboarding

Shortly after your hiring request has been made, you will receive an email from GTHR/Equifax. Please note that the onboarding links do expire.

What do I need to do for onboarding?

The link for student onboarding can be found here.

What should I do if I do not have my onboarding documents ready?

Be sure to communicate! Respond to any messages you receive regarding onboarding to advise of any issues that arise.

How will I know when hiring has been completed?

If you are able to log into OneUSG and see the Time/Absence widget, your onboarding has been completed.

What should I do if I need to be transferred from or to a SCI UTA position?

If you need to be transferred to SCI, please send Erika Burley the email address of your previous hiring manager so we can make the request.

If you need to be transferred from SCI, please have your new hiring manager reach out to Erika Burley to request the transfer.

Foreign Nationals

Foreign Nationals – please note that Ms. Burley cannot advise you on details regarding your specific visa status. Please reach out to the Office of International Education for assistance.

Office of International Education (OIE)

Savant Building

631 Cherry St NW Unit 211

Atlanta, GA 30313

Phone: 404-894-7475

The student employee checklist for foreign nationals can be found here.

What do I need to do to get started as a TA for pay if I am a foreign national?

Please complete this form to request an employment letter for your Social Security Number application and be sure to read through the information found here.

WebClock and Payroll

Timesheet Rules

UTAs are not permitted to work on holidays.
UTAs are not permitted to work more than 20 hours per week. There are no exceptions to this rule, as it is a Georgia Tech HR standard.
UTAs are not permitted to work more than 6 hours in one day without express permission from their instructor(s) – This exception must be communicated to Erika Burley via email prior to the event.
UTAs working more than 6 hours in one day MUST take a break before resuming their shift – this is a legal requirement.
It is your responsibility to ensure the accuracy of your timesheets. Violation of any timesheet rules will cause a delay in processing.
If you need timesheet corrections, you are responsible for notifying us immediately.
- Please send an email detailing the requested correction in date – time in – time out format

How do I get my pay rate adjustment?

Please note that pay rate adjustments are the last task to be completed during the semester’s hiring cycle. It is not likely that you will see the change on your first check of the semester, but you will receive backpay for the difference. If your pay rate has not changed by the second check of the semester, please reach out to Erika Burley directly for assistance.

How do I clock my hours?

Clock in and out of each shift on WebClock. Remember that routine maintenance is done on OneUSG over the weekends. Double check your reported time each week. An overview of OneUSG Connect timekeeping methods can be found here.

A video on how to use WebClock for time reporting can be found here. An article on how to use WebClock can be found here.

How do I enter my direct deposit information?

Information on setting up direct deposit can be found here.

When will I be paid?

The biweekly payroll calendar can be found here.

How do I read my timesheet and paystub?

Information on understanding your timesheet and paystub can be found here.

How do I troubleshoot issues with OneUSG Connect?

Information on troubleshooting can be found here.

How many hours per week are TAs allowed to work?

TAs are not permitted to work more than 20 hours per week or on holidays. There are no exceptions to this Georgia Tech Human Resources rule.

TAs are also not allowed to work more than 6 hours in one day without permission from their instructor(s). In this case, you must take a break.

What should I do if there are mistakes or errors with my time reporting?

Email Ms. Erika Burley at eburley3@gatech.edu as soon as possible. Note that administrators cannot see comments on timesheets.

When can I expect a response to my email?

Emails are answered in the order they are received within a minimum of 48 hours (this does not include weekends or holidays). If you have not received a response within a week, please follow up with us.

Who can help me with financial aid questions?

These inquiries must be handled by the financial aid department.

Email: finaid@gatech.edu

What do I need to do when I graduate?

Email Ms. Erika Burley at eburley3@gatech.edu and request to be terminated from the system.

TA for Credit

Spring/Fall 1st semester TAs for 1000 and 2000 level courses are required to TA for credit.

You must enroll in CS4903, which is a 3 credit hour course that counts towards your GPA. You will receive a letter grade based on your performance.

What should I do if the registration period has passed, or I need a course load override?

Please complete the Petition to the Faculty form found on the registrar’s website. This site will also include deadline dates.

Note that TAs who work for credit are not required to clock in and out in OneUSG.

More information can be found here.

What do I need to do to receive course credit as a TA?

Make sure you registered for CS4903-UTA

How many course credit hours is CS4903-UTA worth?

3 credit hours

If I am earning class credit as a TA, how will my performance be evaluated?

You will receive a letter grade based on your performance.

Will my performance as a TA affect my GPA?

Yes, it counts towards your GPA.

TA for Pay

What’s the first thing I should I do if I want to get paid as a TA?

Keep an eye out for an email from Georgia Tech Human Resources/Equifax. Make sure you have work authorization documents ready and reply quickly to Georgia Tech Human Resources/Equifax. Additionally, you cannot be paid without a valid social security number. If you do not have a social security number, reach out to eburley3@gatech.edu to request an employment letter.

How will I know that I’m officially hired?

Having access to WebClock for time reporting indicates that you are legally hired within the OneUSG system.

What tasks do I need to complete as a new hire?

Make sure you received an email from Equifax and filled everything out. Then, go see Georgia Tech Human Resources to complete Section 2 of the I-9 and have your security paperwork authorized.

What do I need to do to get started as a TA for pay if I am a foreign national?

Please complete this form to request an employment letter for your Social Security Number application and be sure to read through the information found here.

When can I expect an email from HR regarding my position?
You may not hear from HR until after the 2nd week of classes.

How should I keep track of my hours?
Keep track of hours in a date/ time-in and time-out format.

What documents will I need to provide?

You will need to provide documents that prove who you are and that you are able to work in the US. If you are a foreign national, this means you must apply for a social security number.

What should I do if I don’t have US work authorization?

If you don’t have US work authorization, consider working for credit. If you have already TA’d for credit once, you may get another opportunity depending on need and other circumstances.

When will I get paid?

You will be paid biweekly according to the payroll calendar here.

Will pay rate adjustments be on my first paycheck?

Pay rate adjustments will NOT appear on your first paycheck. This is a manual process each semester and it will be backdated.

Who can help me with questions about things like taxes and visas?

Federal and state legalities must be handled by Georgia Tech Human Resources/ Office of International Education.

Georgia Tech Human Resources

500 Tech Parkway

Atlanta, Georgia

30318

Phone: 404-894-4847